Victoria Mboko and Felix Auger-Aliassime have resumed their strong performance at the start of the 2026 tennis season. Together, they led Canada to victory over China in the United Cup mixed teams event by securing a 3-0 win in the Group B round-robin match. Auger-Aliassime, ranked 5th in the men’s category, defeated Zhang Zhizhen with scores of 6-4, 6-4, while Mboko, ranking 18th in the women’s division, staged a comeback from a set down to defeat Lin Zhu with a scoreline of 2-6, 6-2, 6-0. The duo then combined forces to clinch a victory in the mixed doubles, triumphing over Xiaodi You and Rigele Te with a score of 6-1, 6-3.
Auger-Aliassime’s recent accomplishments include reaching the semifinals of the U.S. Open, securing an ATP 250 title at the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open in Brussels, and making it to the semifinals of the ATP Finals in the previous season.
The 25-year-old Montreal native celebrated a successful start to his season-opening match, marking his first victory in this phase since 2021. Reflecting on his performance, Auger-Aliassime expressed satisfaction, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of tennis and the importance of delivering during crucial moments. In contrast, 19-year-old Mboko made a remarkable ascent from being ranked outside the top 300 to breaking into the top 20 in the past season. Her achievements include winning the WTA 1000 National Bank Open in Montreal and finishing the 2025 season with a winning streak to claim the Hong Kong Open title.
Up next, Canada is set to face Belgium in the group stage of the United Cup on Tuesday, with the tournament scheduled to conclude on January 11.